


but the ice don't melt in mid-december

by silvereth



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Companion Piece, F/F, drunk ectosibling paletimes, you get what you pay for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 03:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/986925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvereth/pseuds/silvereth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neither of you are particularly good at relationships. Or feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	but the ice don't melt in mid-december

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Archis Akasha](https://archiveofourown.org/works/925435) by [MistCover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistCover/pseuds/MistCover). 



> So here's my companion piece for MistCover's Archis Akasha, feat. drunk paletimes with Rose and Dave. I guess it can be read as a standalone but if you're wanting for context, get yourself at that fic (this takes place during chapter 5).  
> (even if you don't care about context get yourself at that fic it is great).

"She's jus'...just so damn _pretty_ , y'know?"

You watch in vague amusement as your ectotwin tries to slam her glass down on the bar to punctuate her statement, but really only succeeds in sliding it along the polished surface. You finish your own drink and set it down a bit more gently, flagging down the bartender with a twitch of your fingers. Rose traces unintelligible patterns on the counter, staring at them without really seeing them. Buckle up kids, we're in mopey drunk territory now. You toss back your shot of bourbon and nudge her with your elbow, encouraging her to go on.

"She _is_. An' I love her. I do. Is...is that okay to say? You won' tell 'nyone, will you?" She looks up at you, big purple eyes wide and worried. She's drunk enough that her face is open, her expressions honest. You could ask her anything in the world right now and she'd give you a straight answer. But you won't. She trusts you. And you don't really need to, anyway.

Instead you chuckle and pat her on the head. "I don' need to, sweetheart, pretty sure th' entire damn _world_ knows 'bout how bright bright red you are for our Miss Mary'm. 'Rezi can smell th' pretty cherry red from a mile away. It's all hearts an' rainbows an' weird gay troll sex like a big shiny xenohomo aura around the two of you. There's birdsong and everything. Disney's got nothin' on y'all."

She groans, drops her forehead onto the counter with a soft _thunk_. "I guess...I guess tha's okay. That people know. I mean, it's true. I love her. 'M flushed for her. Whatever." The bartender sets another gin and tonic next to her head and she flutters her fingers in thanks. "An' _she_ knows, which is the important part. At leas', I think she does. Does she know I love her, Dave?"

You think back to the conversation you had with Kanaya the other day, and the jadeblood's questions about 'human marriage', and suppress a shudder. "Yeah, I'd say she's pretty confident in that fact. Why, y'worried about somethin'?"

She goes quiet for a moment, rolling her head to stare into her new drink as if it would reveal the secrets of the universe to her. And who even knows, with those weird-ass Seer powers she still has? You wait patiently, sipping at your beer, letting her take her sweet time answering.

Finally: "She was asking 'bout 'permanent girlfriends' th' other night. If I thought we--if she an' I could--could--an' when I thought about it, I started thinking maybe--but I _can't_." She sits up, swallows half the drink in one go. "She wants so much from me, an' I want to give it to her, but--Dave, I can't. It's so stupid, but I'm scared. I'm scared to do something so, so...you know what I mean, right?"

"Yeah, I do." You know exactly what she's on about, and why she can't put it into words. You never can either. "All I can really tell you is to jus' do whatever you're comfortable with. People talk 'bout facing your fears or whatever but that's all bullshit more of'n than not. You don't wanna trap yourself into somethin' that's gonna make you uncomfortable, 'til death do you part." You spread your hands in a careless, open gesture. "'Sides, what does marryin' anyone prove anyway? So y' get a fancy ring and a dress an' a big-ass party. Who gives a fuck? Y' don't need that t' prove you love someone."  

She nods in an approximation of thoughtfulness, but you can tell her mind's already jumping somewhere else. "She's been all...attentive lately."

You raise a brow. "Whaddya mean, attentive? That's a pretty broad umbrella, lil sister."

"Only by a day and only because your meteor got lucky," She corrects you automatically. "I dunno, she...I mean she's normally really thoughtful an' everything but...it's like she's _doting_ on me now, she keeps making food I like an' bringin' home chocolate an' lettin' me watch what I want on TV an' I think she thinks I don't notice, but I do. I notice everything." She looks up at you again, a hint of desperation in her expression. "She brought me flowers, Dave. Lilies. Purple ones."

You whistle, impressed. "Damn, the woman knows her stuff. Where'd she even get purple lilies this time o' year?"

"I don't even know, she has weird plant majjyks or something." She huffs, going back to staring at her drink. "That's half the problem though. She's so precise and she cares so much and I just. I don't know how to handle it. I can't match it an' she's just so wonderful I don't know how to deal with it and I love her so much but I don't know how to show it and I think she's going to propose to me and I won't be able to say yes. I've sort of been avoiding her ever since she started asking 'bout it an' she hasn't even gotten mad at me. How can one person be that patient? She jus'...keeps doin' nice things for me. _Sincerely._ What am I supposed to do with that?"

You take another draught from your beer, considering. "Well, first off, stop avoidin' the poor darlin'. God, what is this, high school? She loves you, quit bein' so coldhearted and at least let her near you. She's not gon' bite. Unless you ask nicely, o' course." You flash her an impish grin. "'S not like she's just gonna alluva sudden pop th' question on you, you know our Kan, she's too cautious for that. She's gotta think it through. In the meantime, let her do the things for you. She wants to, an' she's not obigl--obligating you to do anythin' nice back. She's prob'ly the most selfless of all of us. 'Cept maybe Karkles, but he's an idiot. Anyway, jus' let her do the things and if you wanna jus' do the things back. Doesn't have to be complicated, but I know it's you so you're gonna make it complicated anyway. Jus' try not to freak out, okay?" You pause to giggle, then hiccup. "Man, we are officially lost in drunktown if I'm givin' _you_ relationship advice."

"Veli--verily, we have forsaken the path and wandered into the treacherous woods of intoxication. I promise I'll let the brohug bears eat you first."

"Tha's...that's not a real thing," you protest, despite having just felt the urge to sling your arm over her shoulder and pull her against your side. Instead you ruffle her hair, grinning as she huffs and tries to finger-comb it back into place and only succeeds in mussing it more. "Good hustle, team. I think it's time to get you home."

"But we haven't even gotten into _your_ r'lationship probl'ms yet," she slurs, batting your hand away. "It's not vaguely-pale-siblings-drinking-night until I've accused you of incestuous, homoxenosexual and fetishistic tendencies all in one breath!"

"Uh-hunh, and you just managed to pronounce all of those words without stuttering, you've officially gone around the drunk-block back into psuedo-sober territory and that's a surefire sign that I need to get you back to your ladytroll." Not to mention you're always in favour of avoiding such accusations. She _knows_ when she's hedging close to the truth.

"Ugh, _fine_ ," she relents, stuffing her arms into her jacket. "But you owe me. I get one free psychoanalysis _with_ all of your properly horrified reactions. And a kitten. You owe me a kitten."

"I'll take note," You tell her dryly, tossing a few bills onto the counter for the bartender and setting a hand on her back, guiding her to the door. "One whole kitten, alive and everything. What colour should it be."

"Black, obviously. I'm a traditionalist." She looks up at you, blinking under the streetlight. "Dave?"

"Hmm?"

"...thank you."

You laugh, punching her arm. "Woah now, let's not make this weird. We've both got all manner of reputations to uphold. 'Sides, I've done nothin' worth thankin' for."

"You're right. You're an insufferable jackass forever." She tries to hide her grin. You pretend not to notice.

She links her arm through yours, and you set off together into the frosted night. 


End file.
